28B.12.010Created.

Severability—1974 ex.s. c 177: "If any provision of this act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1974 ex.s. c 177 § 10.]

28B.12.020Purpose.

The purpose of the program created in RCW 28B.12.010 is to provide financial assistance to needy students, including needy students from middle-income families, attending eligible post-secondary institutions in the state of Washington by stimulating and promoting their employment, thereby enabling them to pursue courses of study at such institutions. An additional purpose of this program shall be to provide such needy students, wherever possible, with employment related to their academic or vocational pursuits.

28B.12.030Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context shall clearly indicate another or different meaning or intent:

(1) The term "needy student" shall mean a student enrolled or accepted for enrollment at a postsecondary institution who, according to a system of need analysis approved by the office of student financial assistance, demonstrates a financial inability, either parental, familial, or personal, to bear the total cost of education for any semester or quarter.

(2) The term "eligible institution" shall mean any postsecondary institution in this state accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, or a campus of a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the student achievement council for purposes of this section, that is eligible for federal student financial aid assistance and has operated as a nonprofit college or university delivering on-site classroom instruction for a minimum of twenty consecutive years within the state of Washington, or any public technical college in the state.

28B.12.040Student achievement council to develop and administer program—Agreements authorized, limitation.

The student achievement council shall develop and administer the state work-study program. The council shall be authorized to enter into agreements with employers and eligible institutions for the operation of the program. These agreements shall include such provisions as the council may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

With the exception of off-campus community service placements, the share from moneys disbursed under the state work-study program of the compensation of students employed under such program in accordance with such agreements shall not exceed eighty percent of the total such compensation paid such students.

By rule, the council shall define community service placements and may determine any salary matching requirements for any community service employers.

28B.12.050Disbursal of state work-study funds—Criteria.

The office of student financial assistance shall disburse state work-study funds. In performing its duties under this section, the office shall consult eligible institutions and postsecondary education advisory and governing bodies. The office shall establish criteria designed to achieve such distribution of assistance under this chapter among students attending eligible institutions as will most effectively carry out the purposes of this chapter.

Construction—Application of rules—1987 c 330: "This act shall not be construed as affecting any existing right acquired or liability or obligation incurred under the sections amended or repealed in this act or under any rule, regulation, or order adopted under those sections, nor as affecting any proceeding instituted under those sections. The rules of the agencies abolished by this act shall continue in force until acted upon by the succeeding agency and shall be enforced by the succeeding agency. If there is no succeeding agency, the rules shall terminate." [ 1987 c 330 § 1401.]

Severability—1987 c 330: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1987 c 330 § 1402.]

28B.12.055Work-study opportunity grant for high-demand occupations.

(1) Within existing resources, the office of student financial assistance shall establish the work-study opportunity grant for high-demand occupations, a competitive grant program to encourage job placements in high-demand fields. The office shall award grants to eligible institutions of higher education that have developed a partnership with a proximate organization willing to host work-study placements. Partner organizations may be nonprofit organizations, for-profit firms, or public agencies. Eligible institutions of higher education must verify that all job placements will last for a minimum of one academic quarter or one academic semester, depending on the system used by the eligible institution of higher education.

(2) The office may adopt rules to identify high-demand fields for purposes of this section. The legislature recognizes that the high-demand fields identified by the office may differ in different regions of the state.

(3) The office may award grants to eligible institutions of higher education that cover both student wages and program administration.

(4) The office shall develop performance benchmarks regarding program success including, but not limited to, the number of students served, the amount of employer contributions, and the number of participating high-demand employers.

28B.12.060Rules—Mandatory provisions.

The office of student financial assistance shall adopt rules as may be necessary or appropriate for effecting the provisions of this chapter, and not in conflict with this chapter, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW, the administrative procedure act. Such rules shall include provisions designed to make employment under the work-study program reasonably available, to the extent of available funds, to all eligible needy students in eligible postsecondary institutions. The rules shall include:

(1) Providing work under the state work-study program that will not result in the displacement of employed workers or impair existing contracts for services;

(2) Furnishing work only to a student who:

(a) Is capable, in the opinion of the eligible institution, of maintaining good standing in such course of study while employed under the program covered by the agreement; and

(b) Has been accepted for enrollment as at least a half-time student at the eligible institution or, in the case of a student already enrolled in and attending the eligible institution, is in good standing and in at least half-time attendance there either as an undergraduate, graduate or professional student; and

(c) Is not pursuing a degree in theology;

(3) Placing priority on providing:

(a) Work opportunities for students who are residents of the state of Washington as defined in RCW 28B.15.012 and 28B.15.013, particularly former foster youth as defined in RCW 28B.92.060;

(b) Job placements in fields related to each student's academic or vocational pursuits, with an emphasis on off-campus job placements whenever appropriate; and

(c) Off-campus community service placements;

(4) To the extent practicable, limiting the proportion of state subsidy expended upon nonresident students to fifteen percent, or such less amount as specified in the biennial appropriations act;

(5) Provisions to assure that in the state institutions of higher education, utilization of this work-study program:

(a) Shall only supplement and not supplant classified positions under jurisdiction of chapter 41.06 RCW;

(b) That all positions established which are comparable shall be identified to a job classification under the director of personnel's classification plan and shall receive equal compensation;

(c) Shall not take place in any manner that would replace classified positions reduced due to lack of funds or work; and

(d) That work-study positions shall only be established at entry-level positions of the classified service unless the overall scope and responsibilities of the position indicate a higher level; and

(6) Provisions to encourage job placements in high employer demand occupations that meet Washington's economic development goals, including those in international trade and international relations. The office shall permit appropriate job placements in other states and other countries.

Short title—Headings, captions not law—Severability—Effective dates—2002 c 354: See RCW 41.80.907 through 41.80.910.

Effective date—1993 sp.s. c 18: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1993." [ 1993 sp.s. c 18 § 38.]